Racing toy



P 13, 1962 P. R. J. COURT 3,054,218

RACING TO Filed April 18, 1961 IHIIIIMIIIIIII-I Pare/0e ed 00097 IN VENTOR.

BY i w 107' raw/5V5 Unit rats This invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to an improved electromechanical toy.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and amusing toy.

Another object of this invention is to provide an entertaining toy which can be used for an exciting game of skill.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a toy which can be usedfor amusing one or more participants.

These and other objects of the invention may be achieved in an arrangement wherein there is provided a serrated track having on either side thereof electrically conductive rails. A pair of curved support members rest upon these rails and are slidable therealong. These support members hold a suitable figure such as that of a horse carrying a jockey. Within the body of the horse there is carried a solenoid and armature. The armature is movable within the solenoid and there extends therefrom a push member, or rod, which engages one of these serrations. The rails are connected to a current source through a normally open switch. Provision is made through the curved support members to afford a connection of the solenoid to the rails. Thus, when the switch is operated, the solenoid is excited and causes the armature to move, thereby pushing the rod against a track serration engaged by it. This results in the entire as sembly being pushed forward, sliding along the rails. When the switch is opened, the solenoid is no longer excited and the spring retracts the armature. Upon a subsequent excitation of the solenoid, the armature can again push on the rod, thereby moving the assembly forward again.

Because of the rounded base of the support members, the entire assembly rocks as a result of the push given by the rod. This causes the rod to be carried in and out of engagement with a serration. Accordingly, the actuation of the button which excites the solenoid must be done only at such times as the rod engages the serrations of the track in order to advance the toy. This requires skill. A plurality of participants may each be provided with one of these devices and they may race these toys, or a single toy may be employed and each one of the participants in turn may try to move the toy a given distance along a straight track or complete a course around a circular track in the shortest time.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, both as to its organization and method of operation, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a drawing of an embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a schematic of the electrical connections required with this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there may be seen an illustration of the embodiment of the invention. In the drawing there is shown the figure of a horse and a jockey 12 with a section of the horse being left out in order to show that there is supported therein a circular solenoid 14 within which there is a movable armature 16. The armature is constrained by a compression spring ent Patented Sept. 18, 1962 13 which has one end abut on the solenoid 14 and the other end is attached to a ring 20 which is attached to one end of the armature.

At the other end of the armature there is mounted a nonmagnetic extension 22 which is attached to and travels with the armature. At the end of this extension, which extends from the solenoid coil, there is attached a rod or push member 24, which as shown extends outwardly and downwardly. The push member engages with its unattached end a toothed or serrated guide rail 26. When the solenoid is excited, the armature is pulled into the solenoid coil, thereby causing the spring to be compressed. When the excitation of the solenoid is discontinued, the spring which is compressed then restores itself, thereby pulling the armature out of the solenoid.

The assembly described thus far may be supported upon a pair of rounded support members 30 (only one of which is shown in the view of FIGURE 1). These rounded support members 30 extend on each side of the serrated track and engage a pair of rails 34, 36 which are shown in FIGURE 2. These rails provide a conductive smooth surface upon which the entire assembly can slide forward under a push provided by the push member 24. Each of these rounded support members includes an electrically conductive shoe, respectively 38, 40. There is also provided a source of potential 42 and a momentary switch 44.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the source of potential 42 and the momentary switch are connected in series with the rails 34, 36. The shoes 38, 40 are connected to the solenoid 14, and thus, when the switch 44 is closed, they can provide the required current for exciting the solenoid.

If desired, the rounded support members may have contact shoes which engage the sides of the track on which an electrically conductive strip may be placed, instead of using the same rail as the one on which the rounded support member slides for providing energy for exciting the solenoid. However, these and other variations in the location and/ or arrangement for conducting current to the solenoid are features which are apparent to those skilled in the art, and thus these variations and arrangements do not depart from the scope and spirit of this invention.

The center of gravity of the complete assembly is such that when at rest the push rod 24 engages the serrated surface of the track. An impulse of current which is supplied to the solenoid 14 causes the armature 16 to be drawn within the solenoid coil, thereby causing the push rod to thrust against the one of the track serrations which it engages, and thereby sliding the entire assembly forward on the rails 34, 36. When the current supplied to the solenoid ceases, the armature is returned by the spring to its original position. Thus, the push rod or member 24. is disengaged and is moved forward to re-engage another serration of the track. The forward momentum of the horse assembly will cause it to overbalance on the fulcrum provided by the rounded support members, and it is thrown forward until restrained by the foot 46- of the horse when it touches the rail. The horse assembly will then rock, in the course of which the push member 7 will periodically engage and then disengage the track serration.

Th idea behind advancing the horse as quickly as possible is to provide a current impulse by means of the key 44- each time the push member 24 engages a track serration with a minimum of rocking motions occurring in between. As the horse progresses along the track with the rocking motion, it realistically simulates the galloping motion of a real horse.

If several of these assemblies are provided, then each player may operate a switch in order to race the several horses in a manner akin to race horses on a real race track. Alternatively, however, a single assembly may be employed with each participant trying to move the assembly along the conducting tracks in the shortest possible time.

The horse will have a natural period of recovery from its unbalanced state, which may be set as desired during the construction of the model by adjustment of the weight of the horse, the center of gravity, or even by causing different articulation between, for example, the jockey on the horse and the horse.

If desired, the push member 24 may be in the form of a leaf spring, and the forward overbalance of the horse may be constrained by another springy member, rather than by the foot 46, whereby the oscillation of the horse may be varied. The position of the solenoid within the model may be set so that the momentum of the armature provides additional and unpredictable modes of oscillation or motion about the fulcrum.

A straight or curved race track may be provided. Where the guide rails are curved, suitable feelers may be placed in addition to the curved support members for satisfactory guidance around curves, as required. These feelers may also serve as pickup devices for current, if desired.

The movement of the armature, and, hence, that of the push member, should preferably be made slightly greater than the length of each serration of the track. Where there are two curved tracks with one of these being inside of the other, the unfair advantage of the shorter distance enjoyed by the horse on the inside track may be compensated for by reducing the length of the serrations on the inside track. The total number of serrations per track from start to finish should be the same for each track.

A horse and jockey are shown by way of illustration of a figure used in an embodiment of the invention. These are not to be construed as limitations. Any other type of beast or vehicle, or even imaginary forms, may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. The track and guide-rail assemblies may be designed to be taken apart or to be in convenient lengths which can be assembled much in the manner as those of a model railroad track. It is within the scope of this invention to provide an indicator of the end of the race, such as the contact switch 50, which is engaged by the forward foot 52 of the horse when it crosses the Winning line. This switch is momentarily closed. When closed, the switch connects a light 54 across both of the tracks 34, 36, causing it to become illuminated, thereby indicating that the horse has crossed the finish line.

If desired, the outcome of the race may be determined purely by chance. There are many electrical devices which can emanate purely random-current impulses, either completely automatically or at the behest of the participant. A substitution of one of these pulse generators for the battery 42 and, if desired, also for the switch 44 will cause the random operation of the device.

There has accordingly been described and shown herein a novel, entertaining, and amusing toy and game.

I claim:

1. A toy device comprising a longitudinally extending serrated track having disposed on either side thereof and extending therewith a fiat rail, a pair of rockable support members each of which has a rounded portion resting on one of said rails for rocking as well as sliding motion thereon, a toy figure carried by said support members, a means carried by said support members for pushing when rendered operative against a serration of said track for sliding said device along said rails, said means for pushing engaging said track serration for pushing only when said rockable support members are in 6. their equilibrium positions, and means for rendering said means for pushing operative when desired.

2. A toy device comprising a longitudinally extending serrated track having disposed on either side thereof and extending therewith a flat rail, a pair of rockable support members each of which has a rounded portion resting on a different one of said rails for rocking as well as sliding motion thereon, said pair of support members carrying a solenoid winding, said solenoid winding having centrally disposed therein a movable armature, means for yieldably biasing said armature to extend from one end of said solenoid winding, a push member, means for attaching one end of said push member to the other end of said armature, the other end of said push member extending for engaging a serration of said track when said rockable support members are in their equilibrium position, and means for applying current pulses to said solenoid Winding whereby said armature is pulled into said solenoid winding and then restored to its initial position by said yieldably biasing means to thereby cause said push member to push against a track serration which it engages thereby sliding the entire assembly along said track and then when said armature is restored to its initial position said push member moves to engage another track serration.

3. The toy device recited in claim 2 wherein said means for providing current pulses to said solenoid Winding comprises a conductive layer on said pair of rails, a conductive shoe on each one of said support members for respectively engaging each of said conductive rails, and means for connecting said conductive shoes to said solenoid, a source of potential, and switch means for connecting said source of potential when desired to said pair of conductive rails.

4. The toy device as recited in claim 2 wherein said support members support a toy figure, said figure having an extension thereon extending in a direction opposite to that of said push member for engaging one of said rails for limiting the extent of the rocking motion of said support members in the direction of said extension.

5. A toy device comprising a solenoid winding, a pair of support members positioned on either side of said solenoid winding for supporting it above a longitudinally extending serrated track, a pair of flat rails positioned on either side of said serrated track, said support members respectively resting on each of said rails, the portion of each of said support members resting on a rail being rounded to afford a rockable motion for the structure carried by said support members, an armature slidably movable within said solenoid Winding, a compression spring, said compression spring having one end abutting against said solenoid winding and the other end attached to one end of said armature for holding said armature partially extended from said solenoid winding, a push member, means attaching one end of said push member to the other end of said armature, the other end of said push member extending backward and downward away from said armature until it contacts one of the serrations of said track, a toy figure carried by said support members above said serrated track, said figure having an extending member extending in the direction opposite to that of said push member for engaging one of said rails for limiting any rocking motion in the direction of said extension, means for applying current to said solenoid winding to cause said armature to be pulled further into said solenoid winding whereupon said push. member pushes against the serration which is engaged by it in said track to advance the entire assembly carried by said support members, and means for interrupting the current applied to said solenoid whereby said spring withdraws the armature partially from within said solenoid winding thereby advancing the push member to engage another serration in said serrated track.

6. A toy device as recited in claim 5 wherein said means for applying current to said solenoid winding includes a conductive shoe on each one of said support tion of said toy figure when it reaches the predetermined members, means connecting said conductive shoes to said location of said switch, and means for indicating when solenoid winding, a source of potential, and means for said switch is actuated. applying said source of potential to said pair of conduc- References Cited in the file of this patent tive shoes when it is desired to advance said toy device. 5

7. A toy device as recited in claim 5 wherein there is UNITED STATES PATENTS included a switch mounted at a predetermined position 2,062,371 Musser Dec. 1, 1936 on said track, means for actuating said switch with a por- 2,770,918 Polk Nov. 20, 1956 

